The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-12-31
YALuE 3F koHl RAHI.
How 60 utilise q Vegetable sLcns Corsi6
cred vaiuef esa In This Cuumtry. "a

4
cred vaiuefess in This Coumtry.
About thirty years ago tho National
Department of Agriculture imported
from Germany and distributed through
tho mails small packages Of the seed of
this vegetable, with briet directions for
planting and cultivating.' Mahy sowtd
the seed and raised the plants No
use, however, was made of them. AS
vegetable curiositics they attracted
some attention In tho gardens where
they were raised, and they helped
swell the number of vegetables sonlo
market gardeners exhibited ut fairs.
II was generally believed that the kohl
rnbi was a cross between the turnip
and the cabbage, and it was the COM
mon belief that the union resulted, MS
Charles Lamb said tho mixture of
brandy and water did, ''in spelling
two very good things.' When the
vegetable with curious German nalne
ceased to bea curiosity, its cultivation
ceased. 1t was mentioned. described
and illustrated in the catalogues Of
seed merchants. A few packages of
the seed were sent out in the boxes re-
coived by country grocers, but as q
rule none of them were sold. Farmers
knew OF no use to. put the plants to
when they werc raised, and they did
not rank high as things Of beauty.
| Most market gardeners in the vicin-
ity of large cities raised this vegetable,
which was bought in unlimited quanti-
ties by Germans and Scandinavians. A
few people from the north Of Europe
raised the plant in their gardens and
used them as . substitute for cabbagos
and turnips. Some stated that tho
kohl-rabi was superior to either of
these vegetables as an ingredient in
soups. A few years ago it was report
ed that the consumption of kohl-rabi
was increasing in Eastern cities, and
that Americans had learned to eat it.
At last the compilers of cook-books
gave recipes for cooking it. Still kohl
rabi did not appear among the vegcta-
bles on the bill of fare on amy fashions
able hotel OF restaurant in the country.
None thought that it was great nc
cession to our list of garden products.
1t was not raised as a field crop for the
most obvious reasons. 1t was noticed
by the few who raised them that cattle,
sheep and pigs would eat the leaves as
they did those of the turnip, but that
they generally rejected the enlarge
ment of the stem, which was said to
be the, most valuable portion of the
plant and the part that was put to use
in foreign countries.
1t appears that an agricultural col
lege may be good for something.
though many seem to doubt it., In
the organ Of the institution of man
haitian, Kan. Prof. Shelton gives an
Interesting account of his success in
raising kohl-rahi the past season. He
planted about half an acre of this crop
and the yield was nearly ten tons. \
The field where it grew attracted at
ton all summer The plants resisted
drought better than any thing planted
on the place. When the soil was as
dry as road dust, the air like that over
a desert, and no rain for weeks, tho
stalks of ,kohl-rabi flourishcd and made
II large growth. If the plant has any
insects enemies none put in an appear
ance. Cattle at first did not appear to
relish the new kind of food, but as
soon as they became accustomed to it
they ate it greedily. 1t is too early as
yet to form an estimate of the nutri-
tious value Of the new crop. Foreign
chemists state that the kohl-rabi is
equal to the best varieties of turnips.
The crop is said to be quite extensively
raised in Sweden, Denmark and
Northern Germany as food for milch
COWS. Unlike turnips, it communicates
no bad flavor to milk. isd 3r|
Turnips have never been very exten-
sively raised in most parts of this
country for stock food. The climate
at the West and South is not favorable
to the crop that succeeds SO we'll in
the British islands. Our summers are
too hot and dry for turnips The
yield is not large and the roots are
likely to be hard and stringy. Cab
bages have been raised to some extent
for feeding to stock, but since the in
PRODUCTION Of the European cabbage in
sect their cultivation has been neg
lected. The climate of the Southern
States is too hot and dry for cabbages,
and there is difficulty in raising them
in all parts Of the country. The kohl
rabi is said to be easy to keep during
the winter. II it will thrive during a |
protracted drought and has q feeding
value equal to that of the turnip it |
possesses great merit. If it can DO
raised in the South and on the great
plains where the rainfall is slight 1t will |
prove to be q boon to cattle and sheep
owners. The great trouble in raising |
stock in these regions is the difficulty |
in obtaining good food after the mid
die of summer. 8f.
The general cultivation of kohl-rabi |
is like that of the cabbage. 1t is not
general, however, to raise the plants
in seed bed and to set them out in |
rows when they are cultivated. The |
seed is sown like that OF turnips. and |
the young plants are thinned out till |
thoy stand about eight inches apart.
The seed canbe sown at any time from
tho 1st of May till the 1st Of July. All
the hard work required is in thinning
the young plants. the cultivator being |
used to stir the ground and keep it
free from weeds. 90 Chicago Times. iNl
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